Message From God: Be Patient

By

Christopher Shea

Jan 13, 2012 12:57 pm ET

Deeply religious people may be more likely than their secular peers to forgo a small reward now for a larger one later, a new study finds — a trait that helps to foster social cooperation (not to mention economic progress).

Researchers offered nearly 300 undergraduates a series of options involving trade-offs— $50 now or $100 in six months, for example — and asked them a series of questions measuring how often they thought about the future. (To increase the motivation, the students had a chance to actually receive the prize they selected in one of their scenarios.) Additionally, participants answered a series of questions probing the depth of their religiosity. Just under half of the participants were Christian, while 17% reported no religious affiliation and another 17% had no preferred denomination)

On average, intensely religious participants reported thinking about the future more often than the others, and were more likely to wait patiently for the bigger payoff. From an evolutionary standpoint, the researchers said, the inculcation of patience may help to explain why religions have flourished despite the heavy costs they impose on believers. Historically, such costs have included forbidding work one day a week; time spent in services and at prayer; and animal sacrifice (costly in terms of both time and lost goods). Many faiths teach believers to rate the long-term goal of salvation over immediate pleasure — and such a future-oriented habit of mind could well have spillover effects into civic life….

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